Matchmaking Boy
by TrafficLights
Summary: Kel is stuck with no one except a sister and an annoying in-law on the day of thanks. She gets a helping of unexpected visitors and sees a new side to her 'Henchman'.


** A/N:  'Lo all.  This is my Thanksgiving fic with no plot and no point.  I think it's sweet, hope you do too.  This is just a short story in Kel's first person because I noticed there are hardly any.  You know the drill.  Read and review!  Oh yeah, and I don't own anything.  But you knew that.  Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a goodnight!  
  
  
  
  
  Matchmaking Boy   
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  "Would you please pass the butter?"  
  
  I obliged my soon-to-be brother in-law.  It was the day when all of Tortall gathered with their families and gave thanks for their friends and their lives.  I watched my sister Oranie and her betrothed Edward of West Bay.  It was just the three of us, even though King Jasson had declared the holiday for families to gather after the war.  My parents were visiting in the Yamani Islands, like they did almost every year, but I still had duty and couldn't go with them.  My three brothers had taken their families to Corus on the pleas of their wives, and my other sister Adie's husband had forced her visit his side of the family.  
  
  It was just the three of us, and I was feeling very uncomfortable, like a stranger in my own home.  Why?  Because Orie and Edward were acting very...betrothed.  I had lost my appetite long ago, even though Orie and I had been cooking and baking all day because our closest neighbors had promised to join us.  Twenty minutes after their set arrival time, they were still absent.  At first, I had been glad, my stuffy, conservative neighbors were not on the top of my list for great company, but now, I would have been grateful for anyone talk to.  Even if it meant having an old woman lecture me on how 'miserable' I must be, and whether or not I had found a suitor yet.  
  


     I excused myself to the kitchens.  Grabbing a packet of tea from the cupboard, I set myself to the task of relaxing.  With my cup, I sat down in one of the more comfortable chairs and closed my eyes.  The open door let in a wind that rustled my skirt.  
  
     Oranie had made me wear a dress today.  She said it was because I needed to remember how to be a Lady, but I think it's because she doesn't want her betrothed to think ill of me.  So I conceded, if only for her peace of mind.  Upon hearing what I am, I doubted my appearance would do anything to suede him.  He seemed of a nice enough sort, and I think I might actually like him someday.  Someday.  Sighing happily, I took a sip of tea.  
  
  BAM!  
  
  Startled, I jumped, narrowly missing spilling tea down my green dress, but instead spilling it over the wooden floor.  
  
  BAM!  
  
  This time I put down my mug to answer it.  
  
  "Keladry, there's someone at the door!"  My wonderfully perceptive in- law called.  
  
  "Don't you worry." I called back in my sweetest voice.  "I'll get it."  
  
  BAM, BAM, BAM, knick-knock!  Thunk, thunk!  
  
  Whoever this was, it wasn't our neighbors.  Lady Nella would have tut tutted anyone who knocked like that.  
  
  Pulling open the door with tired good humor, I saw Neal and Yuki, much to my great surprise.  
  
  "Well," he said impatiently and waving his arms like a flustered chicken, "Are you going to invite us all in, or what?"  
  
  "Us all?"  I squeaked.  He pushed his way past me to put down his burden of what looked suspiciously like ale.  Yuki followed, standing shyly at his side while my sister introduced herself.  I had to give Oranie credit for taking this all in stride so far.  
  
  At the door stood more waiting people with food; Dom at their head. "So, may we come in, or do you always freeze your guests for safe-keeping?"  He teased.  
  
  I stepped away to give them room to come in.  
  
  "What are you all doing here?"  I asked Dom, puzzled, watching the stream of people entering my house.  He didn't answer right away and I could tell he was confused.  Seaver, Merric and Owen followed Dom and Neal, with dishes of what could only be food.  Later I would find it could only be _described_ as food.  
  
     "We came to spend the holiday with you, Mother."  Merric interrupted.  Dom smiled, and whistled softly, so that only I could hear.  
  
  "Nice dress."  
  
  I felt the heat rise to my cheeks, but luckily, he had gone to introduce himself to my sister.  
  
  We gathered round the table and my guests began to stuff themselves with everything within reach.  Those just made me feel sick.  Only Seaver and Dom were using manners, and to my surprise, Edward and Merric were having what looked to be a corn on the cob-eating contest, with Owen as a judge.  Yuki and Dom were having polite conversation about a neutral topic, and Orie was giving disgusted glances to Edward.  Neal, the only one not busy, was the natural target for any entertainment.  
  
  "What's that you're eating?"  I asked him.  It smelled all right, and now that I was no longer facing my gross friends, my appetite was coming back.  
  
  Dom, who was on my other side, shook his head sadly.  "A word of advice, don't eat anything you yourself didn't make.  They spent all day cooking these dishes, and I'd rather drink a Healing Potion."  
  
  Neal glared at Dom. "It's delicious, Kel.  Fried potatoes with cheese, try some."  
  
  That didn't sound so bad.  I reached out to take the bowl, but Dom put a hand on my arm.  
  
  "Don't, it also has relish in it, and the gods only know what else."  
  
  I scrunched up my nose.  I hate relish.  
  
  "Olives." said Merric.  
  
  "Tripe." said Seaver.  I opened my mouth in a gagging gesture.  
  
  "And beets." said Dom, grinning at my disgust.  
  
  Neal was still offering the bowl.  "Thanks, but no thanks."  He shrugged and helped himself to more.  
  
  What about those dishes, I thought, what could Merric, Owen and Seaver ever invent.  I wasn't too worried about Dom; he probably made a perfectly normal dish.  
  
  As if they could read my mind, three dishes were offered to me with three eager faces behind them.  Hesitantly I declined them all.  
  
  "Aww.  Come on Kel, you don't trust any of us?"  Owen asked.  
  
  'Not with my taste buds', I thought.  Out loud I said, "Of course I do." and then helped myself to Dom's concoction, the only one I hadn't been offered.  
  
  He smiled as they whined.  "I'm honored that you trust me, Lady Knight."  He said gallantly.  
  
  "Don't let it go to your head."  I told him indifferently.  I bit into whatever it was confidently.  The smooth texture flowed over my tongue and warmed me inside out.  No one was watching me, which was good for my pride.  I had no idea Dom could cook so well, and my face showed my surprise.  
  
  I looked to see what could have captured their attention now.  It seemed Edward had had a little too much to drink and was face first in my salad.  I tapped Orie on the shoulder and pointed, trying not to gloat.  She hid a smile and began to haul him upstairs with the help of Merric and Owen.  
  
  I smiled; Orie was going to make a great wife.  And Edward could be worse.  Too bad I would never get that chance.  I would become an old maid, find a house to settle down in, or maybe stay at court my entire life.  It wasn't my dream, but there's a price to pay for being a Knight.  I couldn't expect to be as lucky as Alanna.  
  
  I didn't realize it then, but those depressing thoughts were giving me away.  
  
  "Are you okay, Kel?"  Dom asked me.  
  
  I lied and told him I was fine.  Of course I was fine, as always.  I could tell he didn't believe me, one of his more annoying qualities: always being right.  
  
  He gave me that look that he always gives when he knows you're lying.  I rolled my eyes and tried to convince him, when I was sure he wasn't buying it I gave up.  
  
  We moved to the living room after Orie came back, Edward put to sleep.  
  
  "What are we going to do now?"  I asked them, biting back a yawn.  It had gone dark long ago, but they seemed to be just getting started.  
  
  Instead of answering me, they grabbed their wine glasses and began to tell jokes.  Very bad jokes from what Yuki, Orie and I could make out.  
  
  "How do stop a Taurus from charging?"  Owen asked them, already laughing at his own joke.  
  
  "How?" they asked collectively.  
  
  "Take away its account!"  He burst out laughing at the pathetic joke and I realized Edward wasn't the only one who had had too much to drink.  
  
  Orie sighed and rolled her eyes, she had obviously had enough of this; she climbed the stairs wordlessly.  Yuki and I stayed, with only the intention of calming Owen down.  Let's just say things didn't exactly go as planned.  
  
  We approached them cautiously, Owen and Merric were a little woozy, but Neal and Dom seemed no worse for the wear.  
  
  "What did the termite say when he walked into the bar?"  
  
  "What?"  They asked as one.  
  
  "Where is the bar tender?"  Owen burst out laughing again, and Dom, who had told the joke, grinned.  They got progressively worse after that.  
  
  "And I suppose you guys think you're staying the night."  I asked them sternly, and interrupting their laugh-fest.  
  
  "We can, right Kel?"  Merric asked me, a look of mild panic on his face.  
  
  "I don't know, it wouldn't be proper, three unmarried women and six unmarried men."  I told him seriously.  Who says I can't be mean once and a while.  Merric's worry worsened.  
  
  "Begging your pardon, My Lady," Dom interrupted, eyes dancing, "but you are a bad, bad woman."  
  
  I was startled into a laugh, but a noise on the stairs caught my attention.  Following my hunch, I came upon a very shamed Tobe.  
  
  "Eves dropping again?"  I asked him exasperatedly.  
  
  "How else am I going to learn anything, besides, you taught me how." was the stubborn reply.  
  
  The kid had me there.  Without another word to me, he crept down the rest of the stairs and began to talk to Dom.  
  
  Dom's smile grew broader, and they both glanced my way before Tobe began to talk again.  Uh oh, I thought.  This probably wasn't good.  
  
  I snuck into the kitchen through the back door and began to do some eaves dropping of my own.  
  
  "...And she really is lonely, even though she'll never admit it.  That's why I've decided to talk to you.  I've been watching you for a while now, and the Lady seems to like you a lot.  So I invited you here, with the others so she wouldn't suspect anything."  
  
     "  Oh really."  Dom said and I could tell he was trying not to laugh.  "What else?"  
  
  I couldn't believe this, betrayed by one of my own.  I wanted to drag Tobe into that kitchen and ...  But curiosity filled me; I wanted to know what else that little traitor knew.  
  


  "From what I know, you're one of her best friends.  And I've seen the way she looks whenever someone talks about you.  It's like she isn't seeing anything.  And when you're not looking..."  
  
 I should have stopped him when I had the chance.  Curiosity killed the cat.  
  
  My sudden entrance made them both jump, and I would swear Tobe turned white as stone.  
  
  "Excuse us."  I said politely to Dom.  He nodded, still fighting his laughter.  I grabbed Tobe and headed back into the kitchen.  He followed me as if he was on a trip to traitor's hill.  I, personally, think he was.  
  
  "What were you thinking?"  I demanded softly.  I half expected him to cry, but he faced me defiantly.  
  
  "You need him," he told me.  
  
  "I don't need anyone!"  I told him, equally righteous.  
  
  "You do."  
  
  "I don't."  
  
  "You do."  
  
  "I don't."  I said, beginning to become agitated.  I suppose it would have been funny from an outsider's point of view; the 'Lump' in a battle of wits with an 11 year old boy.  "Aren't you tired of this yet?"  I demanded.  
  
  He shook his head.  "I'm a kid, it's what I do."  
  
  Giving up, I motioned him to leave.  Once he had gone, I plopped into a chair and rested my head in my hands.  How was I going to face Dom now?  Tobe didn't understand what he had done.  If I were lucky, Dom would be conveniently hit over the head and lose his memory of tonight.  I almost considered doing it myself.  
  
  I don't know how long I sat there, but I do remember what happened next.  
  
  "You know, Tobe might have had something there."  
  
  I swore softly, there was no mistaking that voice.  Dom.  
  
  "What?"  I asked him, playing it stupid.  Then I stood up.  
  
  "You are lonely.  That's why you were so sad when your sister took West Bay upstairs."  He said.  
  
  I swore again, and he must have heard me because he came closer and smiled understandingly.  
  
  He cleared his throat.  "I think Tobe had another good point." before I could ask him what that was, he brushed a strand of hair from my face and gently let his lips meet mine.  A warm jolt ran through me, growing, until he pulled away.  
  
  "I've got to admit though," he said quietly, "The kid's got taste."  He grinned at me, and I rolled my eyes, but I think he knew I was trying not to smile.  
  
  After the door swung shut behind him, I let myself smile broadly.  As for Tobe, I was just glad he hadn't taken a strong liking for Merric instead.  Now that would have been awkward.  It was just like Dom said, the kid's got taste, if not tact.  
  
  
  
  
  
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A/N: AWWWWWW.  How sweet.  Isn't Tobe the cutest?  Looking out for Kel, I was so glad that TP put him in LK.  Anyway, you know the drill, you've read, now review!**

****Valencia**


End file.
